help me plan day in hollywood

[june@imsarc.com]

I'd like to do one day or one and a half days. Start there early leave late. Only must do's we know are Walk of Fame and Yamashiro Restaurant at night. Can you suggest more? Looking for points of attraction or unique eateries.

Thx!

[lcasa]

Across from the Chinese is Disney's El Capitan - while a bit pricey for a movie it's worth doing - especially if you get there early before the picture when the live organist plays their absolutely amazing wurlitzer. The theater has been restored to its early glory days ( think Citizen Kane was the first film shown there ) -- it's beautiful. they usually have some tie-in exhibit to look at as well - costumes or sets or ...
Next door to that is the Disney Studio Store. They have one-of-a-kind pins if you're into that and Ice Cream sundaes /sandwiches.

I love the Griffith Observatory which isn't far away and from there you get a really good view of both Hollywood and the Hollywood sign. Lots of movies have been filmed up there, including Rocketeer and a James Dean film ( there's a bust of him).
Griffith park is also right there- there's a cute traveltown train exhibit and the park itself is huge. Disney studios isn't far either if you want to drive by - can't see much but from some angles you can see the dwarves holding up the roof of a building.

Hollywood and Highland may be worth a couple of hours too - it's where you'll park for the Chinese and El Cap ( which validates parking with a show). Jimmy Kimmel tapes next to the El Cap if you can get tix (and all are over 18).
I'm sure you'll get a lot more opinions soon...

[kristytru]

[Dylan_&_Blake's_mom]

would love to know this also. Going out there with the family this summer

[Dylan_&_Blake's_mom]

would love to know this also. Going out there with the family this summer

[jlmarr]

I've thought that this Hop-On Hop-Off tour would be interesting to an out-of-towner. Haven't taken but but we've done the similar tour in NYC and it seemed a good start at "seeing everything".

[dougsmom98]

We are heading to Hollywood/Disneyland next month. I have been put in charge of planning and I have been doing some research. This is the itinerary I have come up with. I cut and paste a lot of info from various web site and also from tripadvisor.com. I am not sure if this can all be done in one day, but we are going to try. I will try to post a review when I get back.


Hollywood Itinerary

1. Drive to Hollywood Bl and Highland Av and park in the surrounding neighborhood or in the parking structure (enter from Highland Avenue, just north of Hollywood Bl -- look for the giant sign that says $2 parking).
Parking at Hollywood & Highland Center - 6801 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90028-6136 us


With entrances on Highland Avenue and Orange Drive, Hollywood & Highland Center offers the best and cheapest parking in the heart of Hollywood. Only $2.00 for up to 2 hours with validation from participating shops, restaurants and nightclubs. $2.00 for up to 4 hours with validation from Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Chinese 6 Theatres; $1.00 for every 15 minutes thereafter. Daily maximum is $10.00. $10 flat rate on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays after 10 pm. The parking structure is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


2. Start at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave.

H & H is the nerve-center of Hollywood. On the northwest corner of the intersection is the Hollywood & Highland shopping center and adjacent restaurants, movie theaters and clubs.

On the southeast corner of the intersection is a popular tourist attraction, Ripley’s Believe it or Not!; on the northeast corner is another popular attraction, the Hollywood Wax Museum.

3. Start at H&H and walk West along Hollywood Bl, on the north side of the street.

Below you is the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- a tribute to the stars of show business in the form of star-shaped brass plaques imbedded into the sidewalk identifying the specialty of the person being honored along with his or her name. The Walk of Fame radiates out from H & H (reaching as far east as Vine Street -- behind you) so feel free to explore it to your content.

You will pass the Hollywood & Highland shopping center (which includes the Kodak Theater, home of the Academy Awards! Take Pictures of this building and check out the architecture. There are some good shops/bakeries.

4. Go to the 4th or 5th floor walkway and get a picture of the famous Hollywood sign.

There are a few stores you might be interested in Beard Papa (yummy cream puffs), Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and the Nestle Toll House Cookie shop! Good dessert places - Beard Papa's, Crumbs (they have big fat cup cakes), Kelly's Coffee, etc.
100% public restrooms that are actually fairly clean. They have lots of food court-like restaurants on the top floor of the shopping center. Get your ticket validated at a store or the Visitor's Center located in the mall. Not all stores validate but I know Starbucks and Sephora do for sure. But if you don't plan on buying anything, the Visitor's Center is the way to go. v - just make sure no one picks your pocket. (There are lots of tourists, and folks will occasionally prey on them. Don't be a mark.)

Address : 6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
Mon-Sat 10:00am – 10:00 pm

Sun 10:00am – 7:00pm

5. You will quickly come upon Grauman's Chinese Theatre (on your right), perhaps Hollywood's most famous landmark. Spend some time exploring the handprints and taking pictures.

Hand and foot prints of the stars of yesteryear are here with salutations to Mr. Grauman for his new theatre. The courtyard is special indeed but what most tourists never see is the best part: the inside! If you get a chance to see a movie while you're here, go to Grauman's.

6. Next door to the Grauman's Chinese Theatre you will see Madame Tussaud's. TOUR Madame Tussaud's.

http://www.madametussauds.com/Hollywood/Default.aspx

The wax figures are SO LIFELIKE you can't believe it, and you can pose with them, touch them, and take photos with them. There were figures of current celebrities as well as old time movie stars, sports...

It was a quick 1.5 hr tour that you take at your own pace over the 3 floors but I am so glad we brought the camera. We took so many pictures interacting with the wax celebrities. They had some objects to wear so that you can get good photos.

Hours:
10-8 Fri-Sun
10-7 Mon-Thurs
$20 for 13 yrs+
$14.40 4-12 yrs


7. Head back to the corner of Hollywood and Highland. As you head back, on the southwest corner of the intersection is Walt Disney Company’s flagship L.A. theater, the El Capitan, which shows Disney features often accompanied with live shows and organ music.

You can check our El Capitan from the outside and if you are really hungry go to Disney's soda fountain. It is a bit steep for prices, but a nice experience. At the very least, look at the Hollywood stars outside the theater for Disney favorites like Tinkerbell!

8. Continue back to the intersection of H&H. On the southeast corner of the intersection is a popular tourist attraction, Ripley’s Believe it or Not! (We will not be touring Ripley's today.)

9. Behind Ripleys Believe it or Not is the Hollywood Museum. TOUR the Hollywood Museum. (2 hours)

Hollywood Museum Prices:
Wednesday-Sunday 10-5
$15 for Adults
$12 for Kids/students up to 21 years old

What other's have to say:
Fun to see genuine sets and costumes from Hollywood - 3 floors or memorabilia, to wander through.
Was really interesting to see Marilyn Monroe's car, costumes from movies etc.
Hannibal Lecters cell was awesome... so realistic it was quite spooky.

It is really a shame that so many out-of-towners seeking a taste of movie magic miss it in Hollywood.
The costumes alone fascinated me. And the downstairs haunted area – woah.
Rocky’s boxing gloves, Marilyn Monroe’s sexy dresses, Indiana Jones’ whip, Cary Grant’s Rolls-Royce, and so much more!

Ground Floor: After entering via the historic Hollywood-style plush pink lobby, you’ll move through to Max Factor’s restored make-up rooms, and then on to a vintage black and white photo gallery housing over 1,000 prints from film sets. You’ll also see Cary Grant’s “Roller”, memorabilia from Planet of the Apes and Jurassic Park, and then a sparkly tribute to Judy Garland and her famous “ruby slippers”.
Floors 2 & 3: Here you’ll find a lavish display of Hollywood’s most memorable costumes which will take you back to your favorite classic films, and you’ll also see the corresponding props and photos. You’ll see the earliest Technicolor film shot, a Roman bed from Gladiator, the dog from There’s Something about Mary, and the decked-out golden Cadillac from Dreamgirls!
The Lower Level: Once a speakeasy and bowling alley during Hollywood’s Prohibition days, this basement floor is now a resting place for Hollywood’s spookiest moments, including the jail cell corridor that Jodie Foster traversed in Silence of the Lambs. You’ll also see Dr. Lecter’s mask and cell, and other props from that film and others like it!
Additional museum favorites include the nostalgic Parisian swing from Moulin Rouge, a whole array of I Love Lucy memorabilia (watch how she turned into a redhead, and how Marilyn Monroe became a blonde!), Paris Hilton’s super-expensive party dresses, Elvis’ favorite bathrobe, and treasures from Star Trek and Jaws!

**Behind the Hollywood Museum is Mel's Drive In. The plan is to eat at the Farmer's Market, but if you are hungry for lunch stop here.

The Mel's drive-in of Hollywood has a fascinating and colorful history. It is located in the historic Max Factor building, a beauty salon whose client list at one time included Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, and most of the major movie actresses in Hollywood. Mel's now shares the building with the Hollywood History Museum, home of 5,000 Hollywood exhibits and artifacts such as Hannibal Lecter's cell and the sets of Moulin Rouge. We're also lucky to be right across the street from the Kodak Theatre, site of the Academy Awards Ceremony, so your visit here promises to one of the most informative, star-filled, and delicious Hollywood experiences available!
The original Mel's was in American Graffiti. I believe this one was recently on The Next Food Network Star.
Their vanilla milkshakes are swoon worthy! $3.99 breakfast, it's served from 6am-10am

If you would rather McDonalds for lunch, there is one next door to Ripley's Believe it or Not, or get a treat at Hollywood and Highland to hold you over until we get to the Farmer's Market.

10. Return to the Parking Garage and get in your car.

Head to La Brea Tar pits to see the bubbling tar and animal bone fossils.
Le Brea Tar Pits – 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Start out going east on Hollywood Blvd toward N Highland Ave.
Take the 1st right onto N Highland Ave.
Turn right onto Wilshire Blvd.
5801 WILSHIRE BLVD is on the right.

You can see the pits outside for free. There is an entrance fee for the museum though and it takes about an hour. Picnic on the grass and watch the tar bubble out before going into the museum. Grounds are free outside. Parking is $10 – you can also park on the street if you can find a spot.

11. Once you see the Tar Pits, go to the Farmer's Market for lunch and shopping.

6333 W. Third St. Los Angeles, CA 90036

Start out going west on Wilshire Blvd toward S Stanley Ave.
Turn right onto S Fairfax Ave.
Turn right onto W 3rd St.
6333 W 3RD ST is on the left.

http://www.farmersmarketla.com/restaurants/index.html

Farmers Market has been a kids’ fave for a long time: we have one of the most wonderful absolutely independent toy stores anywhere, Kip’s Toyland and Cost Plus World Market which is a whole bunch of fun when you’re planning parties. A lot of our restaurants have child-friendly menus (hot dogs, burgers, pizza, soft drinks, fries – plus tons of fresh fruit, of course). There are some special treats at the Market, too: kids can often watch our candy man make his own candy in his window (what’s more fun than a guy up to his elbows in chocolate?), Bennett’s Ice Cream makes their own ice cream in a kitchen where you can watch, Bill Thee of Thee’s Continental Pastries, decorates cakes in his window and Bob’s Doughnuts has some really neat treats (a dinosaur doughnut, a kitty doughnut and more). Plus, our patios are so kid-friendly that some locals have all but grown up at the Market.

12. Now we are going to head to Griffith's Observatory to see the awesome views of Los Angeles and the grounds/park of the observatory.

http://www.griffithobs.org/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...alifornia.html

2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Free – Outstanding views of LA , Hollywood sign. Day views and Night views. Not open Monday/Tuesday
Rebel Without a Cause was filmed here (James Dean) and there is a plaque in the parking lot and a tree planted for George Harrison.

8.26 miles = 23 minutes

Start out going west on W 3rd St toward S Fairfax Ave.
Take the 1st right onto S Fairfax Ave
Turn right onto Hollywood Blvd.
Turn left onto N Highland Ave.
Turn right onto Franklin Ave.
Turn left onto N Western Ave.
N Western Ave becomes Los Feliz Blvd.
Turn left onto N Vermont Ave.
N Vermont Ave becomes Vermont Canyon Rd.
Turn left onto E Observatory Rd.
2800 E OBSERVATORY AVE.

13. It's been a long day, time to head back to the hotel.

[carnival kid]

WOW!!! Dougsmom that is one awesome and thorough itinerary!!

I agree all the places that dougsmum has mentioned are well worth it we have been to all of them.
If you are short on time i would choose either wax musseum OR madam tussards. They are both good but obviously similar so it would lessen the time factor.

A not to miss for us each time is The Grove and Farmers Market. It is such an awesome place.

Also agree with Icasa - the whole of griffith park is very good. Lots of little hidden gems.

Also if you have transport a drive through beverly hills and down rodeo drive is a must.

[sdchickie]

Amy, that's an awesome itinerary! I'm going to print it out for when we go there in Sep. please come back and post after your trip what worked and what didn't. Thanks so much for the great ideas!

[dougsmom98]

So we are back and we tried to do this itinerary. I put my notes in purple. We went to Hollywood on our first full day, which was a Sunday. I recommend going to Hollywood on a weekend because the traffic was not bad at all.

Originally Posted by dougsmom98

Hollywood Itinerary

1. Drive to Hollywood Bl and Highland Av and park in the surrounding neighborhood or in the parking structure (enter from Highland Avenue, just north of Hollywood Bl -- look for the giant sign that says $2 parking).
Parking at Hollywood & Highland Center - 6801 Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood, CA 90028-6136 us


With entrances on Highland Avenue and Orange Drive, Hollywood & Highland Center offers the best and cheapest parking in the heart of Hollywood. Only $2.00 for up to 2 hours with validation from participating shops, restaurants and nightclubs. $2.00 for up to 4 hours with validation from Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Chinese 6 Theatres; $1.00 for every 15 minutes thereafter. Daily maximum is $10.00. $10 flat rate on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays after 10 pm. The parking structure is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

We never got our parking validated. I didn't want to deal with trying to make a purchase at the right place to get it validated. We were in Hollywood for at least 6 hours so it was not a huge deal to pay the $10 flat rate.

2. Start at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave.
The parking structure is at Hollywood and Highland Center. We took an elevator up to the 2nd floor to use the rest rooms which were super clean and convenient, and then we took the elevator up to the 4th floor to get some of our first pictures of the Hollywood Sign. We got pictures of where Jimmy Kimmel Live is taped, and the outside of the El Capitan theater. After that, we went down a flight of stairs to see the inside entrance of the Kodak theater. There are also lit walls across from the entrance to the Kodak theater that indicate the Best Picture for each year. We took pictures of the Best pictures from each of the years that we were born. After that, we went down to the first floor and exited onto the street. Below our feet were Walk of Fame stars and we immediately started taking pictures. It was great fun and there were plenty of noteworthy stars right there. We could see Disney's Soda Fountain across the street but didn't cross until later.

H & H is the nerve-center of Hollywood. On the northwest corner of the intersection is the Hollywood & Highland shopping center and adjacent restaurants, movie theaters and clubs.

On the southeast corner of the intersection is a popular tourist attraction, Ripley’s Believe it or Not!; on the northeast corner is another popular attraction, the Hollywood Wax Museum.

3. Start at H&H and walk West along Hollywood Bl, on the north side of the street.

Below you is the Hollywood Walk of Fame -- a tribute to the stars of show business in the form of star-shaped brass plaques imbedded into the sidewalk identifying the specialty of the person being honored along with his or her name. The Walk of Fame radiates out from H & H (reaching as far east as Vine Street -- behind you) so feel free to explore it to your content.

You will pass the Hollywood & Highland shopping center (which includes the Kodak Theater, home of the Academy Awards! Take Pictures of this building and check out the architecture. There are some good shops/bakeries.

As stated earlier, we were already inside the Hollywood and highland shopping center, so there was no need to "pass" it and take pictures.

4. Go to the 4th or 5th floor walkway and get a picture of the famous Hollywood sign.

This is actually just the 4th floor. We went to the 5th floor only to be turned away because it is only for Spa Luce customers and special events.

There are a few stores you might be interested in Beard Papa (yummy cream puffs), Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and the Nestle Toll House Cookie shop! Good dessert places - Beard Papa's, Crumbs (they have big fat cup cakes), Kelly's Coffee, etc.
100% public restrooms that are actually fairly clean. They have lots of food court-like restaurants on the top floor of the shopping center. Get your ticket validated at a store or the Visitor's Center located in the mall. Not all stores validate but I know Starbucks and Sephora do for sure. But if you don't plan on buying anything, the Visitor's Center is the way to go. v - just make sure no one picks your pocket. (There are lots of tourists, and folks will occasionally prey on them. Don't be a mark.)

Address : 6801 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
Mon-Sat 10:00am – 10:00 pm

Sun 10:00am – 7:00pm

5. You will quickly come upon Grauman's Chinese Theatre (on your right), perhaps Hollywood's most famous landmark. Spend some time exploring the handprints and taking pictures.

Hand and foot prints of the stars of yesteryear are here with salutations to Mr. Grauman for his new theatre. The courtyard is special indeed but what most tourists never see is the best part: the inside! If you get a chance to see a movie while you're here, go to Grauman's.

We spent probably 45 minutes exploring and taking pictures here. The kids loved it. I am glad we did this early in the morning because it does get crowded with tour groups.

6. Next door to the Grauman's Chinese Theatre you will see Madame Tussaud's. TOUR Madame Tussaud's.

http://www.madametussauds.com/Hollywood/Default.aspx

The wax figures are SO LIFELIKE you can't believe it, and you can pose with them, touch them, and take photos with them. There were figures of current celebrities as well as old time movie stars, sports...

It was a quick 1.5 hr tour that you take at your own pace over the 3 floors but I am so glad we brought the camera. We took so many pictures interacting with the wax celebrities. They had some objects to wear so that you can get good photos.

Hours:
10-8 Fri-Sun
10-7 Mon-Thurs
$20 for 13 yrs+
$14.40 4-12 yrs
I signed up and printed off the VIP Elephant Card on the Hollywood and Highland web site and it gave us the same price as we could have gotten if we purchased the tickets online. I didn't want to purchase them in advance online because I worry that we will get sick and never make it to an attraction and then be out the money. Before we entered the museum, we went to a store right outside that sells everything for $10. Early in the morning, everything was $5 and we were able to take advantage of that deal. I got a Hollywood tote bag, my son got a Hollywood baseball cap, my daughter got a fun bracelet and a t-shirt, one of my other sons got a fedora type hat and my oldest son got a Hollywood sign for his room. As we were leaving (around 10:30 am) the price was increasing to $6. After that we went to Madame Tussaud's. We LOVED this place. It was great to pose with all the wax figures. You can touch them except for their hair and their faces. We spent about 1.5-2 hours here. Everyone (age range 6-52) said this was their favorite part of the day.

7. Head back to the corner of Hollywood and Highland. As you head back, on the southwest corner of the intersection is Walt Disney Company’s flagship L.A. theater, the El Capitan, which shows Disney features often accompanied with live shows and organ music.

You can check our El Capitan from the outside and if you are really hungry go to Disney's soda fountain. It is a bit steep for prices, but a nice experience. At the very least, look at the Hollywood stars outside the theater for Disney favorites like Tinkerbell!
To do this we crossed the street at Grauman's and walked on the opposite side of the street so we could get a picture of Tinkerbell's star as well as several other Disney characters. The food looked good at Disney's soda fountain but a little pricey for our group of 8.
8. Continue back to the intersection of H&H. On the southeast corner of the intersection is a popular tourist attraction, Ripley’s Believe it or Not! (We will not be touring Ripley's today.)

9. Behind Ripleys Believe it or Not is the Hollywood Museum. TOUR the Hollywood Museum. (2 hours)
By the time we got here, it was nearly 1 pm and we were starving. We opted for McDonalds for lunch to fit our budget and we were trying to save room for the Farmers Market later. As you will see later, the Farmers Market didn't work so in retrospect, I would have eaten at Mel's Diner or Disney's Soda Fountain. After lunch, we went to the Hollywood Museum. It was not very busy and the staff was so enthusiastic. We enjoyed this museum a lot and spent 1.5-2 hours here. I am not sure it was as exciting for the kids as the adults since there is a lot of older actors/actresses stuff. There was some Michael Jackson, Indiana Jones, Rocky, Highschool Musical, and Hannah Montana stuff though so that kept the kids interested.


Hollywood Museum Prices:
Wednesday-Sunday 10-5
$15 for Adults
$12 for Kids/students up to 21 years old

What other's have to say:
Fun to see genuine sets and costumes from Hollywood - 3 floors or memorabilia, to wander through.
Was really interesting to see Marilyn Monroe's car, costumes from movies etc.
Hannibal Lecters cell was awesome... so realistic it was quite spooky.

It is really a shame that so many out-of-towners seeking a taste of movie magic miss it in Hollywood.
The costumes alone fascinated me. And the downstairs haunted area – woah.
Rocky’s boxing gloves, Marilyn Monroe’s sexy dresses, Indiana Jones’ whip, Cary Grant’s Rolls-Royce, and so much more!

Ground Floor: After entering via the historic Hollywood-style plush pink lobby, you’ll move through to Max Factor’s restored make-up rooms, and then on to a vintage black and white photo gallery housing over 1,000 prints from film sets. You’ll also see Cary Grant’s “Roller”, memorabilia from Planet of the Apes and Jurassic Park, and then a sparkly tribute to Judy Garland and her famous “ruby slippers”.
Floors 2 & 3: Here you’ll find a lavish display of Hollywood’s most memorable costumes which will take you back to your favorite classic films, and you’ll also see the corresponding props and photos. You’ll see the earliest Technicolor film shot, a Roman bed from Gladiator, the dog from There’s Something about Mary, and the decked-out golden Cadillac from Dreamgirls!
The Lower Level: Once a speakeasy and bowling alley during Hollywood’s Prohibition days, this basement floor is now a resting place for Hollywood’s spookiest moments, including the jail cell corridor that Jodie Foster traversed in Silence of the Lambs. You’ll also see Dr. Lecter’s mask and cell, and other props from that film and others like it!
Additional museum favorites include the nostalgic Parisian swing from Moulin Rouge, a whole array of I Love Lucy memorabilia (watch how she turned into a redhead, and how Marilyn Monroe became a blonde!), Paris Hilton’s super-expensive party dresses, Elvis’ favorite bathrobe, and treasures from Star Trek and Jaws!

**Behind the Hollywood Museum is Mel's Drive In. The plan is to eat at the Farmer's Market, but if you are hungry for lunch stop here.

The Mel's drive-in of Hollywood has a fascinating and colorful history. It is located in the historic Max Factor building, a beauty salon whose client list at one time included Jean Harlow, Bette Davis, and most of the major movie actresses in Hollywood. Mel's now shares the building with the Hollywood History Museum, home of 5,000 Hollywood exhibits and artifacts such as Hannibal Lecter's cell and the sets of Moulin Rouge. We're also lucky to be right across the street from the Kodak Theatre, site of the Academy Awards Ceremony, so your visit here promises to one of the most informative, star-filled, and delicious Hollywood experiences available!
The original Mel's was in American Graffiti. I believe this one was recently on The Next Food Network Star.
Their vanilla milkshakes are swoon worthy! $3.99 breakfast, it's served from 6am-10am

If you would rather McDonalds for lunch, there is one next door to Ripley's Believe it or Not, or get a treat at Hollywood and Highland to hold you over until we get to the Farmer's Market.

10. Return to the Parking Garage and get in your car.

Head to La Brea Tar pits to see the bubbling tar and animal bone fossils.
Le Brea Tar Pits – 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Start out going east on Hollywood Blvd toward N Highland Ave.
Take the 1st right onto N Highland Ave.
Turn right onto Wilshire Blvd.
5801 WILSHIRE BLVD is on the right.

You can see the pits outside for free. There is an entrance fee for the museum though and it takes about an hour. Picnic on the grass and watch the tar bubble out before going into the museum. Grounds are free outside. Parking is $10 – you can also park on the street if you can find a spot.
We did not see any free parking here. We paid $2.25 for every 15 minutes so we really motored around the grounds. I am a science teacher and was looking forward to this place but it was not our favorite. We took a right around the building from the parking garage across the street. If I were to do it again, I would go to the left of the building see the tar pit lake and then leave. It was cool to see the bubbling tar pit lake but the smaller pits were kind of boring. We ended up paying $7.50 to park.

11. Once you see the Tar Pits, go to the Farmer's Market for lunch and shopping.
We decided to switch this up and go out of order. We wanted to go to Griffith Park first and then the farmer's market. Well, that was a HUGE mistake. The Farmers Market closes at 7 pm. We got here at 6:30. We only had time to grab a cupcake before everything closed. The Grove shopping center next door, also closed at 7 pm on a Sunday. My daughter was disappointed because she wanted to go to the American Girl store. Parking was difficult here. We went to two lots that were full before we went to the parking garage. We should have just done the parking garage first - oh well live and learn. DO NOT LOSE YOUR PARKING GARAGE TICKET. My brother did and had to pay $24!!! We only paid $3. If we go back to LA, we will definitely do the Farmers Market and Grove but early in the day. It looked like fun to explore. We were also hoping for a celebrity siting which didn't happen.

6333 W. Third St. Los Angeles, CA 90036

Start out going west on Wilshire Blvd toward S Stanley Ave.
Turn right onto S Fairfax Ave.
Turn right onto W 3rd St.
6333 W 3RD ST is on the left.

http://www.farmersmarketla.com/restaurants/index.html

Farmers Market has been a kids’ fave for a long time: we have one of the most wonderful absolutely independent toy stores anywhere, Kip’s Toyland and Cost Plus World Market which is a whole bunch of fun when you’re planning parties. A lot of our restaurants have child-friendly menus (hot dogs, burgers, pizza, soft drinks, fries – plus tons of fresh fruit, of course). There are some special treats at the Market, too: kids can often watch our candy man make his own candy in his window (what’s more fun than a guy up to his elbows in chocolate?), Bennett’s Ice Cream makes their own ice cream in a kitchen where you can watch, Bill Thee of Thee’s Continental Pastries, decorates cakes in his window and Bob’s Doughnuts has some really neat treats (a dinosaur doughnut, a kitty doughnut and more). Plus, our patios are so kid-friendly that some locals have all but grown up at the Market.

12. Now we are going to head to Griffith's Observatory to see the awesome views of Los Angeles and the grounds/park of the observatory.

So, we tried to do this at 4:30 on a Sunday afternoon. Apparently this is a huge weekend attraction for the locals. There was no parking at all up at the top and there were cars parked for several miles down the road. We ended up giving up, but we knew we wanted to do this based on its popularity and based on the views that we saw as we drove up here. So, we planned to go back later in the week. We returned around 11 am a Wednesday morning and it was AMAZING! We parked in the top lot and got great pictures of the HOLLYWOOD sign and LA. We spent about an hour here taking in the views all around the observatory and snapping tons of pictures. The actual observatory building didn't open up until noon and we didn't want to spend the time here inside but we may do this on a future trip. We also may go back and explore some of the trails and parks on the lower levels of the park. In my opinion, this is a must do for any trip to LA.
http://www.griffithobs.org/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...alifornia.html

2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Free – Outstanding views of LA , Hollywood sign. Day views and Night views. Not open Monday/Tuesday
Rebel Without a Cause was filmed here (James Dean) and there is a plaque in the parking lot and a tree planted for George Harrison.

8.26 miles = 23 minutes

Start out going west on W 3rd St toward S Fairfax Ave.
Take the 1st right onto S Fairfax Ave
Turn right onto Hollywood Blvd.
Turn left onto N Highland Ave.
Turn right onto Franklin Ave.
Turn left onto N Western Ave.
N Western Ave becomes Los Feliz Blvd.
Turn left onto N Vermont Ave.
N Vermont Ave becomes Vermont Canyon Rd.
Turn left onto E Observatory Rd.
2800 E OBSERVATORY AVE.

13. It's been a long day, time to head back to the hotel.

Overall this day was GREAT. Try to do this on a weekend to avoid traffic. Our second LA day was crazy because the traffic was HORRIBLE. If I were to do this again, I would plan on a Sunday again and I think I would start at Griffith Park and explore it EARLY in the day (arrive by 9 am), park at Hollywood and Highland - explore that building, exit Hollywood and Highland, see the Walk of Fame on my way to Grauman's Chinese theater, Explore Grauman's, Go to Madame Tussaud's, eat at Disney's Soda Fountain or Mel's Diner, and explore the Hollywood Museum. If it was early enough (around 5 pm or earlier), I might try the Farmer's Market and the Grove shopping center. I would skip Le Brea Tar pits if time was an issue.

On our second LA day (the day we were able to actually go/get into Griffith Park earlier in the day), we went to the Westwood Memorial Park to see Marylin Monroe's grave. This was the only request by an older lady in our group. An 8 mile trip took us over an hour in LA traffic at noon. It was quite frustrating. We did see Farrah Faucet's grave, Don Knotts, Merve Griffith, and Walter Mathau's graves. If you are into this stuff it might be nice, for our family with four kids 13 and under, it was not worth the visit. The two older folks in our group ended up staying for over an hour. We were hot, hungry and tired and wanted to get to the beach so we were there for 10 minutes. After that, we went to the Santa Monica pier and beach. Getting there only took 15 minutes from Westwood Memorial Park. We wanted to see the pier because it has been in so many films. We also saw the end of the line sign for route 66 which was cool. Overall the pier was a little underwhelming though, but our other goal was to put our feet in the Pacific Ocean and we did do that and we took lots of pictures. Because we got stuck in traffic earlier on the way to Westwood Memorial Park, we were behind schedule though and we left around 5 pm. BIG MISTAKE!!!! It took 2 hours to get back to Anaheim. So, the lessons we learned on this day is to avoid the center of LA during the day because with the traffic and stop lights, it takes forever to get around. We also learned to avoid the highway during rush hour traffic. If we were able to do Griffith Park the first day, I think we would have been okay because we probably would have just done the Santa Monica Pier. I hope this helps others. Let me know if you have any questions. If I ever learn how to post pictures, I will come back and do that.

[june@imsarc.com]

Wow, unbelievable! I can't wait to get started!

[Disneylovers2000]

WOW! Thank you for all of the wonderful information! We are planning a similar trip in July 2013. Where did you stay? LA is just so huge, I have NO idea where to stay! We will have a car so being close to hollywood etc isn't that important. I am just looking for clean/non seedy area! lol! Any info you can lend would be fantastic!!

[dougsmom98]

Originally Posted by Disneylovers2000

WOW! Thank you for all of the wonderful information! We are planning a similar trip in July 2013. Where did you stay? LA is just so huge, I have NO idea where to stay! We will have a car so being close to hollywood etc isn't that important. I am just looking for clean/non seedy area! lol! Any info you can lend would be fantastic!!

I don't really have a recommendation for a hotel because we kept our home base in Anaheim and drove to LA. Driving in and out and throughout LA on a Sunday was not a problem at all. We drove to LA on a Wednesday and driving in was fine (between 9-10 am). Driving through LA (from Griffith Park to Westwood Memorial Park) at noon was stop and go. It wouldn't have been so bad but we hit every single traffic light and it was a total pain. It took us an hour to go 8 miles. Driving home from the Santa Monica Pier to Anaheim took just over 2 hours and that was awful - stop and go traffic on the freeway, but since getting from Griffith Park to Westwood Memorial Park too so long, we were late leaving Santa Monica and left at 5 pm

So my advice is to visit LA on the weekends or avoid the freeway between 5-7 pm.

[Disneylovers2000]

Originally Posted by dougsmom98

I don't really have a recommendation for a hotel because we kept our home base in Anaheim and drove to LA. Driving in and out and throughout LA on a Sunday was not a problem at all. We drove to LA on a Wednesday and driving in was fine (between 9-10 am). Driving through LA (from Griffith Park to Westwood Memorial Park) at noon was stop and go. It wouldn't have been so bad but we hit every single traffic light and it was a total pain. It took us an hour to go 8 miles. Driving home from the Santa Monica Pier to Anaheim took just over 2 hours and that was awful - stop and go traffic on the freeway, but since getting from Griffith Park to Westwood Memorial Park too so long, we were late leaving Santa Monica and left at 5 pm

So my advice is to visit LA on the weekends or avoid the freeway between 5-7 pm.

Thank you for your helpful advise! After searching trip advisor for days I can't seem to find a hotel that is in our price range and decent therefore, I think we will commute from Anaheim . I realize that this may take more time with the traffice but its starting to look like a better option. Going from your recommendations, I think we will just have to spread out what we wanted to do. And it looks like we will do this all on a weekend!But I will keep looking If you have any other advise I would love to hear it!

[AlexW52]

Another great thing to do at Griffith Park if you have the time and inclination to hike a little, you can park closer to the entrance of the park and follow the hiking trail up the hill to the observatory. It's really not that far, is a great walk for exercise (not steep and ok for kids). You pass streams and get to see a little nature.